Five-star Stoke thrash Bolton at Wembley to reach first FA Cup final

Sunday 17 April 2011 16.43 EDT
First published on Sunday 17 April 2011 16.43 EDT

Stoke City did so much more than reach the FA Cup final for the first time in their history with this remarkable result. The manner of their victory also laid down a marker for their meeting with Manchester City at Wembley in a little under four weeks' time. Stoke, on this evidence, will present a major obstacle to Roberto Mancini's hopes of winning his first piece of silverware at Eastlands.

Stoke were rampant as they made a mockery of Bolton Wanderers' status as pre-match favourites with a display full of energy and characterised by ruthless finishing whenever Owen Coyle's side presented them with one of their many gifts.

An electric 19-minute period in the first half delivered three Stoke goals, from Matthew Etherington, Robert Huth and Kenwyne Jones, that effectively settled the tie before Jon Walters added another two after the interval to twist the knife.

Bolton were dreadful. Coyle was holding his head in his hands from as early as the half-hour and a number of their supporters had started to head for the exits with a quarter of the game still remaining, when Walters put Stoke 4-0 in front.

At the opposite end of the stadium there were scenes of unbridled joy as Stoke fans celebrated reaching a major final for the first time since they won the League Cup in 1972.

Manchester City will, of course, provide a very different challenge from the one put up by a Bolton team who imploded from the moment they fell behind to Etherington's goal inside 12 minutes.

Bolton might have had a penalty minutes before that goal, when Huth wrestled with Kevin Davies in the area before Gary Cahill drilled over.

The referee, Howard Webb, waved play on and it was the last time that Coyle's side seriously threatened until Thomas Sorensen pulled off his first save in the 72nd minute to deny the substitute Matthew Taylor.

It was that sort of day as Stoke dominated their hapless opponents. Jones tormented Cahill, Etherington and Jermaine Pennant were a constant threat on the wings and Walters never stopped running. Bolton simply could not cope. They looked fragile defensively, were overrun in midfield and lacked penetration up front, where the absence of Daniel Sturridge, in-form but Cup-tied, left a glaring hole that Coyle was unable to fill.

The Stoke goal rush started in the 11th minute after Bolton, in a sign of things to come, cheaply gave away the ball on the edge of their penalty area. Paul Robinson, who struggled throughout and was booked for a reckless second-half tackle on Pennant, was the culprit.

The full-back's careless square pass ran loose to Etherington, who struck a superb 22-yard shot with his left-foot that flashed beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Within six minutes the lead was doubled. Andy Wilkinson lofted the ball back into the penalty area, after Rory Delap's long throw-in had been only half-cleared and Cahill was unable to get any purchase on his header. Huth, lurking in similar territory to where Etherington crashed the ball home, stood unmarked and took full advantage, striking a right-footed shot that was moving away from Jaaskelainen as it veered into the corner of the net.

Bolton looked shellshocked and another hammer blow was soon to follow after a catalogue of errors that started with Pennant picking Martin Petrov's pocket inside the Stoke half. Pennant carried the ball 50 yards without coming under challenge before getting a touch of good fortune with a pass that slid through Cahill's legs to land at the feet of Jones. The Trinidad and Tobago international calmly picked his spot, steering the ball past Jaaskelainen.

Coyle made two changes at the interval but the pattern of the game remained the same and it was no surprise when Stoke added a fourth.

Walters's second, in the 81st minute, arrived after Wilkinson inadvertently touched the ball into his path at the far post.

All of which left Tony Pulis to reflect on a hugely satisfying day when Stoke scored five goals from open play to silence more than a few of their critics.

By doing so they also recorded the biggest win in an FA Cup semi final since 1939, when Wolverhampton Wanderers defeated Grimsby Town 5-0.

The Stoke manager's next job is to mastermind City's downfall, which is a task he will relish after his experience against them in 1999, when his Gillingham side surrendered a two-goal lead in the closing minutes of the play-offs before losing on penalties.